German police have apprehended no fewer than 11 Nigerians allegedly affiliated with the Black Axe mafia group, believed to be behind dating scams plaguing the nation. The arrests took place on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, as part of a synchronised nationwide operation carried out by law enforcement authorities. The suspects, ranging in age from 29 to 53, were detained in connection with their involvement in fraudulent activities.
According to the German police, the Black Axe gang primarily focuses on money laundering and romance scams, including marriage fraud, both domestically and internationally. The illicit proceeds from their operations are funnelled to their Nigerian branch through financial intermediaries acting as conduits.
“Using false identities, the fraudsters for example signalled their intention to marry and in the course of further contact repeatedly demand money under various pretexts,” police explained.
According to AP, the gang used a “commodity-based money laundering” scheme where products, often with a seeming “charitable purpose” were bought and delivered to Nigeria
In 2023 alone, at least 450 cases of dating scams were reported in the Bavaria region with damages rising to $5.7 million (5.3 million euros)
The police revealed further that the Black Axe gang operates in a strict hierarchical order.
The German police described the Black Axe gang as a group operating different territorial units, with hierarchies under leadership in Nigeria.
They are believed to influence public administrations and politics in Nigeria.
Their areas of specialisation include drug and human trafficking, prostitution, money laundering and fraud.